The water trickled, and shimmered, polishing the rocks under the ever moving diamond snack.
Elinana traced her finger along the healing scars. There wasn't a mirror in Masyaf, so she had to take Maria's word and the words of the three only girls that she can call friends. That her scars are looking better, but she can tell that they still looked terrible. And it was; long, reddish pink lines all across her back.
Once dressed, she slipped on her shoes, and walked to the path leading up to Masyaf. The walk up the path was quiet; in fact she couldn't recall seeing a single soul. She looked up and down the path, and saw no one. She quickened her pace up the path, always looking over her shoulder.
She was near Altaïr's and Maria's home now. But Masyaf was utterly quiet.
A twig snapped loudly behind her. She gasped, and leaped around to the sound. And there stood Abbas, with an impassably large, black shadow behind him.
She backs away with her hand out behind her, feeling her way to sanctuary.
"Oh little dove!" she looked back, and saw the guard that tried to cut her throat. Behind him trailed a black shadow that grew, and engulfed every thing behind him.
Her head whipped back in fort from one to the other. She back up, and turned around. Instead of Altaïr's and Maria's home, it was her own. She ran up the porch and twisted the handle, but it wouldn't tern.
"Dad!" she called. She tossed the door rug, and pouched the flower put away, in her desperate attempt to find the key.
"Dad!" she screamed, and hammered her fist on the door, and twisting the handed with all her might. "Dad!"
She looked back, they where some yards from the porch now.
"Daddy." She whispered. Her heart raced with her breathing.
A click behind her toughed her ears, then she stumbled forwards as the door opened. She darted inside, poled the door shoot, and clicked the lock.
Elinana grabbed a bat from the umbrella stand, and ran to the living room window. Looking out, she saw no sign of Abbas or the crazy guard.
"Elinana?" Desmond asked, with concern and surprise.
"Back door." She murmured as she sprinted past the stairs and down the hall. After glancing out the window of the back door, she then locked it.
"Elinana," Desmond's voice was full of concern. "What's going on?"
"Just having a nightmare, about the two loony men that have tried to kill me a month or so back." She shook her head, panting. "But they could be gone, now."
Desmond was unsure of her words, even Elinana was uncertain of her words.
"I could do with a blueberry muffin. How about you?" she asked, as she led the way the kitchen.
Desmond peered in as Elinana poled out a bowl of blueberries, and platter of blueberry muffins from the black fridge. She placed then on the kitchen table, in the center of the room.
"Do you like blueberries?" she asked as she polled out a chair, and sat down.
"I wouldn't say I like, or dislike them," he replied, as he sat across from her. "But being on the run, and never really getting to stop and enjoy the small stuff." He grabbed a muffin, and a hand full of berries. "I'll take anything, even a cherry pie, which I hate."
"I never cared much for cherries, either." She stated, and then popped a hand full of berries in her mouth.
"So," she asked. "How are things on your end?"
"Well, I made it to North Dakota." He replied. "But I have no clue where you are."
"If you want to find me you are going to need a delorean or a TARDIS." She giggled.
"What?" he sighed.
"Believe me are not," she began. "Apparently I can travel back in time, just by being struck by lightning. I don't know if it was a fluke or if by some weird reason, like me being a mutant like in X-Men, or something."
"Yea," he stared at her. "I don't believe you."
"Well you asked." She bit into a muffin.
He sighted, and shacks his head. "Where or should I say when, are you?"
"The Crusade, in a homey place called Masyaf, if you must know." she replied.
He stared at her in shock, recalling the time he spent reliving the memories of Altaïr.
"how…wha…?" he mumbled. "Does the name Altaïr mean any thing to you?"
"How do you know that name?" she asked.
"Long story, but you've meet him?"
"A bit more then meet him. He and Maria; his wife, saved my life numerous times, and took me in under their roof." she replied.
"But we are wandering off," she stated. "You're lost, and I don't trust you enough to give you my home address. But if it's the only way for you to make sure that dad has not tore the country apart looking for me. I'll give you a clue. The name of my home town begins with a B. and to make it easier, my dad works as a Firefighter."
"I can't believe, you actually meet him," Desmond muttered.
"Was I just speaking to a brick wall?" she didn't attempt to hide her annoyance with him.
"Home town begins with B, Firefighter father." he eyed her. "What is he like?"
"A big brother," she replied, a slight grin on her lips. "He's like a big brother. And Maria, a sister, and their two boys," She gigged. "Darim calls me Unit Ana, and little Sef is the sweetest baby I ever meet!"
"It sounds like you really like them." He murmured, hiding his envy well.
"More then that," she replied. "I love them, and it will be like ripping out my own heart when I leave."
"Leave?" he asked.
"I may feel like I belong with them, but I don't belong in this time. And I can't just leave dad, not if there is a slime chance on getting back." she bit her half eaten muffin, with tears swelling behind her eyes.
"I don't know what to say." he ran a hand along his slightly long dark brown hair.
"Elin!" Maria's voice called lightly, but it was as if they where on the opposite sides of a tunnel.
"See you next time Des." She waved a salute.
"Elinana, time to wakeup, dear."
The kitchen blared, and faded, leaving Desmond sitting there alone.
Maria smiled down to the drowsy Elinana.
"Come on dear, the wedding is this evening." Maria reminded her with a warm voice.
"The wedding," Elinana murmured. "Right."
Several hours later
"Oh cucumbers," she thought as she saw the all of the population Masyaf, gathered in the garden.
She paced back and forth before Altaïr's desk. While lyrics of a song, and thoughts of doubt swirled round and around. She was so nervous, and swallowed in her thoughts, she didn't see Altaïr approach.
"Elinana," Altaïr spook gently, seeing her nervousness. "Don't worry; you practiced the songs over and over. You'll sing like an angel."
"But the crowd… what if I mess-up, and let Ishtar and Asu down?" she crossed her arms, and bit her lip.
He lightly grabbed her shoulders, and looked in her after storm, gray eyes.
"Just pretend you're singing to Maria, Sef, Darim, and me." He stroked her head, like he would the feathers of a Dove.
"Okay." She breathed.
He kissed her forehead, and then whispered. "You can do more things if you think little Dove." Then he left her to gather her courage.
"You can do this." She whispered to herself, as she stepped out the garden. Colorful lanterns dimly acuminated the calibration, in the violet and indigo sky.
She walked over the band, and nodded to them. She found Altaïr, Maria and the children just before the music stated. At first, her voice was faint, but as she sang, her voice echoed with glee.
"Mmmmm ... Mmmmm ...
I get wings to fly
Oh, oh ... I'm alive ... Yeah
When you call on me
When I hear you breathe
I get wings to fly
I feel that I'm alive
When you look at me
I can touch the sky
I know that I'm alive
When you bless the day
I just drift away
All my worries die
I'm glad that I'm alive
You've set my heart on fire
Filled me with love
Made me a woman on clouds above
I couldn't get much higher
My spirit takes flight
'Cause I am alive
When you call on me
When I hear you breathe
I get wings to fly
I feel that I'm alive
When you reach for me
Raising spirits high
God knows that...
That I'll be the one
Standing by through good and through trying times
And it's only begun
I can't wait for the rest of my life
When you call on me
When you reach for me
I get wings to fly
I feel that...
When you bless the day
I just drift away
All my worries die
I know that I'm alive
I get wings to fly
God knows that I'm alive"
The calibration stretched well into the night, with songs and dance. Elinana even got to hear Altaïr sing. He was surprisingly good.
But once it was midnight, Maria thought it was time for the boys to go to bed. So Altaïr placed Darim on his shoulders, and they all walked home.
Elinana was grateful that the boys got tired when they did, because Yalda was begging for them to sing 'Seven Drunken Nights' again, and Elinana was ready to fall unconscious on a bed.
"Elinana," Altaïr looked to her. "Morrow, come to the training ground at nine in the morning."
She hummed sleepily in reply. A slight grin toughed his lips, as he walked along side Elinana, who seemed to almost sleepwalk.
The first song is "I'm Alive" by Celine Dion, and the "Seven Drunken Nights" belong to Celtic Thunder. I don't own them! And the chapters will be coming slowly. I really want to play a video game! And there is some big stuff going on today and tomorrow. So see you around in some days!
Have some cake! (hint, hint, wink)